Halokinesis AADRL Thesis 2021-23 by Kay Mashiach

SPYROPOULOS STUDIO 2021-2023 TEAM STEPHANIE DI GIRONIMO ZHEN JIA KAY MASHIACH MAYA MASHIACH ZHICHENG YANG

TEAM STEPHANIE DI GIRONIMO ZHEN JIA KAY MASHIACH MAYA MASHIACH ZHICHENG YANG

SPYROPOULOS STUDIO 2021-2023 STUDIO PROFESSOR THEODORE SPYROPOULOS STUDIO TUTORS APOSTOLOS DESPOTIDIS HANJUN KIM OCTAVIAN GHEORGHIU PHASE 01 HELPERS ANNA KONDRASHOVA YIFAN YANG

INDEX

Thesis Premise

Salt History

Material & Crystallization

i. Studio Brief ii. Halokinesis Defined iii. Thesis Statement

i. Salt Sourcing & Collection ii. Salt Processes iii. Salt Tectonics

i. Context ii. Molecular Classifications iii. Crystal Simulations iv. Energy & Environmental v. Ion Concentrations

Proposing Agency

Agent Optimization

i. Organizational Methods ii. Magnetized Spicules iii. Mother Agent iv. Cellular Automatas

i. Three Dimensional Spicule ii. Pneumatics for Buoyancy iii. Prototyping iv. Large Tank Model

INDEX

Scaffold Experiments

Spicule Scaffold

i. Growth Patterns ii. Tubular Scaffold Models iii. Digital Tubular Scaffold iv. Wool Line Scaffold

i. Spicule Cataloguing ii. Structural Analysis iii. Physical Tests

System Cycle

Stigmergy & Pollination

Closing Observations

i. Total System ii. Use-Case / Coral iii. Data Mapping

i. Stigmergy Agents ii. Migration iii. Pollination Formations iv. Halokinesis Visuallizations

i. Phase 2 Presentation ii. Phase 2 Jury iii. System Codes iv. Acknowledgements iii. Bibliography

Thesis Premise i. Studio Brief ii. Halokinesis Defined iii. Thesis Statement

Studio Brief SPYROPOULOS STUDIO

Within the contemporary condition new conceptual terrains emerge that raise questions of agency and intelligence within a deep ecology of our environment. The work explored examines environmental phenomenon in the service of sustaining life on this planet. Challenging the orthodoxies of contemporary spatial landscapes, this studio focuses on the temporal nature of the environment, while applying provocative research methods through material exploration. While questioning the ecological application of architecture, an inquisition towards generative and procedural forms engages in a discernable environmental and discursive conversation, igniting an urgency within this field. The thought is a worldly application – an architecture that can be implemented into multifarious environments, which include the most extreme environments in an application to urban systems.

thesis premise

Introduction _premise of Halokinesis

HALOKINESIS is an architectural endeavor that utilizes salt, a universal material, to re-balance the coral bleaching environments within applicable locations on this planet. HALOKINESIS is the magical ability to move salt with one’s mind, and thus, this project explores salt crystallization’s phenomenology by harnessing this power within our reality. Salt, an essential and abundant element on earth, is known for its ubiquitous flavoring and preservation, while also denoted as a sterilizing agent. However, salt remains an essential element of life. Salinity’s increasing abundance in relation to its paradoxical attributes of sustaining and annihilating situates itself as a priority in investigating its usefulness and applications. In this case, the elemental is focused on salt, a commodity around the world, by appropriating the origins of salt production processes, both natural and artificial, as the focus of our experimental manifestations. Analysis of this element revealed an inherent nature of supertemporal growth, requiring us to elicit interventions through controlling behavioral propagation. As salt is seen to be a keystone to the ecological processes of the world, we take into consideration the circulation and movement of salt bodies on earth. Our HALOKINESIS relies on time coupled with a responsive scaffold, growing crystals to achieve strength and formations. Salt tectonics, halokinesis, and crystallization are typically referred to as existing within the "geological time scale", existing within the history of the Earth.

thesis premise

On the basis of research, we divided different parameters that would influence the crystallization process into two main categories, solution-related and scaffold-related. The solution-related ones mainly affect the speed of crystallization, while the latter affect the form of the crystal structure. The former mainly includes the type of salt, temperature, humidity, concentration and so on, while the latter includes the material, form and duration of crystallization of the scaffold. By applying a controlled variables approach, we have attempted to examine the importance of the different variables and to gain a detailed understanding of the properties of the different types of salt. The spicules are small skeletal elements of most sponges, by fusing together they form the structure of the skeleton. When exploring this structural element, we studied possible mutations and classifications. To continue the exploration of the spicule we tested several other possibilities outside the natural shape of sponges.

introduction

We separated them by number of axes and different ends mutations to provide diverse outcomes when aggregating them. Most spicules in themselves have a very stable centrosymmetric form, which in our project would give the structure a better performance on holding different shapes after aggregation. When numerous spicules are entangled with each other, they form an interlocking structure that is robust. Formations of scaffolds are determined inputting localized terrains, salinity levels, and coral bleaching regions. Self-binding phenomena occurring in salt crystallization is implemented in the organizational profile and scaffolding systems employed in the granular aggregation, composed of constituent parts that interlock. Crystallizing granular formations produce a dynamic dialogue and permit constant variability in response to the environment. In the 'unlimited solution’ of the ocean, salt is in superabundance, which is an ideal site for HALOKINESIS. In this case, the agent is equipped with the ability to float and move on the surface of the water. By designing and embedding intelligent systems, our goal is to create a community that receives data from the external environment and translates it into instructions to perform specific actions. They will be able to change their behavioral patterns in order to adapt to their environment in the face of continuous or substantial environmental change. Following the information flow, a structure would be generated by the swarming behavior Ithat constantly interacts with the local organisms and the terrain.

thesis premise

By implementing a cyclical system of crystallized agents that rehabilitate coral reefs through the introduction of higher salinity levels, HALOKINESIS gives agency to the scaffold in order to determine ideal formations. This process begins with spicule agents detecting a highsalinity location. When the agents find their most optimal region, they harvest salt by encouraging crystallization on the spicule scaffold itself. After enough salt is crystallized and the agents are generally bound to one another as iceberg formations, they transport through a self-propulsion mechanism to a nearby atrisk coral site. The detection of the coral reefs by the agents is then translated into positional behaviors that forward a vertical formation making system. This formation is catalyzed by coral protection inputs, such as topography, bleaching colors, oceancurrent vectors, and sunlight, which are deciphered in order to optimize the organizational strategy. The breaking of crystallized spicules that form columnar, salt tectonic organizations result in a gradual salt distribution within the specified coral region, mobilizing a necessaryrebalancing of saline levels. Over time, these salt formations are eroded, further distributing salt and protecting coral respawning from impending wave disruption.

introduction

Definition _definition of Halokinesis

1. The movement of salt and salt bodies. The study of halokinesis includes subsurface flow of salt as well as the emplacement, structure, and tectonic of salt bodies. Another term used to refer to the study of salt bodies and their structure is “salt tectonics. 2. The magical (and non-existent) ability to move salt with your mind.

initial constant_ salt layer

salt moves_ network of ridges

ridges continue to grow_ salt domes start to form

salt completely withdrawn_ formation solidiﬁes

thesis premise

While salt flow influences geological tectonics through the creation of structural traps and reservoir distribution, it also serves as a basis to fluid migration around the world. The concept of subsurface salt flow, or halokinesis, embeds itself as an integral aspect of the relationship between global tectonism and sea level change. This relationship provides a fundamental insight into the direction of a structural and contextual foundation for this thesis. definition

What Are We Exploring _Salt

We are exploring the elemental through the use of salt. Using the natural intelligence of salt as a material that hardens and self-binds when crystallized. We study the possibility of creating spatial qualities with scaffolds that can be crystallised with salt solutions. Making visible how salt as a material is transformative since the crystalline structure is in continuous growth, always responding to the environment in which it might be situated and its conditions. The time element is a key aspect of this stable yet mutating material, always evolving and adapting. We are testing the capabilities of strength, self-binding, and formation of crystallization over time, achieving different outcomes that depend on the salinity levels and conditions. As Henna Burney says "Salt is a material of the future: an essential life-supporting mineral, ancient in its uses and abundant as a resource". We explore how can this old, yet new material can coexist with architecture by understanding its materiality.

thesis premise

Salt is essential for human life. Salt is abundant. Salt's crystallization cycles mirror natural rhythms. Salt is antibacterial. Salt is a catalyst for a new kind of energy. Salt facilitates collaboration through a multidisciplinary network. - Manifesto, Henna Burney of Atelier Luma We are studying the historical narratives of salt, as well as showcasing how it can be used as a resource. Ultimately questioning salt as a material, and its uses in architecture. Testing its capabilities under compression with skeleton-like scaffolds, analizing it over time, reveals it gradually crystallizes and grows as a "living system". The capabilities of reflecting light and the creation of atmospheres awarded to the transparency of the material is another important aspect to explore, as well as the handling of the material's own humidity, and its anti-bactericide and preservation properties to naturally reduce moisture.

what are we exploring

Idiosyncracy _Crystallization

The first steps within our Halokinesis was to understand the characteristics of crystals. We began isolating the relevant compounds, which explored the types of crystals and processes that are within human reach in creating.

thesis premise

We found that crystals are idiosyncratic. Each output is a result of a unique set of conditions including temperature, humidity, pressure, location, and more. In the same way as it is understood that no two snowflakes are the same, hence snowflakes are crystals, all other crystallizations are as well. Characteristic outputs include hardness, cleavage, optical properties, heat conductivity, and electrical conductivity.

what are we exploring

Overabundance and Underuse _why are we exploring salt

While ecological networks afford power through growth and regeneration to the Earth we live within, they also render this world vulnerable to the effects produced by anthropological evolutionary measures that stake a claim as a part of this network. Consequently, the oblivion of a harmonious ecological connectivity makes it vulnerable for the exploitation of resources and natural habitats by both local and non-local agents. Although virtual mediums allow for an awareness to this exploitation, genuine engagement is removed from the public sphere, creating a void in which individuals become oblivious to consumerism’s environmental effect. However, creating a tangibility and visibility to these resources which can become readily available, could represent the flows and exchanges of natural processes. This tangibility would allow humans to gain an immediate and direct connection to an otherwise inscrutable global reality in which we live in, a draining of raw materials from this Earth. This could potentially result in a new subjectivity, wherein individuals can become empowered to act within this global context. While this exploitation of resources is widespread towards rare materials, the asset of salt itself is highly accessible, as well as underused in its essence throughout the globe. When contextualizing the history of salt, it is necessary to pursue its outlook in relation to historical significance and its exceptional relationship within the Silk Road trading route. At that time, salt was a commodity, wherein its abundance was central to everyday life due to its seasoning qualities. This abundance is still seen today. The Silk Road represented a time of interconnected networks between humans that otherwise would have had no relationship with each other whatsoever. Salt being a part of this connection, its use was explored in a wider variety. From being used as a seasoning, as a preserving agent, and an antiseptic, it became an element that was fundamental to ordinary tasks. 20

thesis premise

Since ancient times, salt’s wider uses have spanned into a product of the chemical industry. Both this context and application put into question the fundamental nature of salt. Its overabundance somehow results in underuse throughout the various fields of life. As a material, its expansion can arise through its non-toxic, compressive strength, fire resistance, heat dissipation, and more. The real question is, why has this element not extended itself into the architectural world in a more prevalent and exponential advancement? While salt in its raw and harvested form presents a challenge to maintaining a systematic structure, there is no building material today that does not require a postprocessing production operation that creates a better sustained application. The development of the means to generate a stable construct of salt building materials is part of the ambition of this thesis. Reconfiguring and reassembling the molecules that strengthen salt itself is part of the process necessary to establish it in a building application. The overabundance of salt allows for this material to serve a new additional function. overabundance and underuse

Ubiquitous _ harvesting and use-cases

HARVESTING Salt harvesting exists both naturally and artificially. In the cases of natural salt harvesting, it is apparent that the world's various ecosystems and living beings gather salt for nutrition or ecological processes. Humans, however, have taken it further, with extreme harvesting of salt for a variety of purposes. Salt is yielded through massproduced manufacturing methods or bespoke processes. We explored all practices to better enlist our own modus operandi for salt harvesting. USE-CASES Salt is one of the most ubiquitous minerals on the planet, familiar to every human on this Earth. This is essentially what makes the element so extremely unique, as everyone has some relationship or understanding of it. Most widely known is its flavouring. Less recognized applications are its function in health, disinfection, and preservation. Hospitals use saline solution in IV bags in order to revitalize and rehabilitate patients. Many medications contain salt as well. Almost all cleaning products contain saline or are disseminated from products containing saline. Salt is an excellent mode of preservation with its outstanding thermal insulation. Further, humans have explored the use of salt for icy roads to maintain safety. Salt provides continuation of everyday life by altering natural weather intrusions. The mud from the Dead Sea is a phenomena that people around the world flock to for its healing powers in order to apply salt- and mineral-rich mud to their bodies. Animals also capitalize on salt nutrients. Cows, elephants, deers, goats, and more all lick salt to receive essential mineral nutrients. These salt licks occur both naturally and artificially in ecosystems with poor general availability of nutrients, migrating for miles to receive necessary nutrients. Flamingos enjoy salt flats for its nutrients. They are born white and turn pink as a result of digesting salt filled with algae and excreting this through their feathers. 22

thesis premise

purpose and program

Case Studies _crystallization and scaffold

The Venus Chair, conceived by Tokujin Yoshioko, is a salt structure installation, formed through the natural process of crystallization in order to imply the shape of a chair. Tokujin’s fascination with crystallization and growth processes has become a precedent for this Halokinesis Machine. The Venus Chair took 6-8 days to grow onto a porous polyester fibre scaffold. Its innovation lies in the porosity of the scaffold, which allows for more air to penetrate the structure, leading to a higher possibility for seeding points to occur throughout the project. Fusing technology and life force, this chair presents a concept which is central to our own thesis, the ability to grow architectural forms. Venus Chair _ Tokujin Yoshioko

thesis premise

Dead Sea _ Sigalit Landau

Sigalit Landau experiments with submerging commonplace objects into the Dead Sea to unearth the natural salt growth that occurs in-situ. By using a completely localized process to grow and generate crystallization, Landau brings forth a concept which revolutionizes natural harvesting. Allowing for a general 6-8 weeks for the crystallization process to occur, these objects become fully grown before removing them from the site. A structure built in order to submerge objects without them touching the sea floor is crucial in this specific precedent in order to avoid a welding nature into the landscape. Proving that on site salt crystallization situates our thesis in a conceptual location which includes a highly saturated body of salt water. case studies

Focusing on the spicule in-situ, Concrete Tetrapods are structural innovations that are conceptualized and utilized on the shoreline in order to disperse waves and break water. This discovery was developed after the Tsunami that hit the shores of Japan and destroyed infrastructure and homes of the local people. The fourfooted, porous, concrete barrier is used generally now to prevent erosion and water damage through dissipation. The spicule form is conducive to a natural displacement of 9f liquids when they are packed together. This allows for proof of theory, when organizing a spicule scaffold into and body of water that has natural flows. While these tetrapods have been criticized for their heavy concrete and unnatural form, our response to that in our thesis involves a lighter structure as well as a scaffold for natural growth. Concrete Tetrapods

thesis premise

Spicules _ Minimaforms

Exploring the limits of density of porosity within the spicule, Minimaforms applies a variety of compositions within their Archigram revisited and Imogen Heap stage installation and exploration. This variety occurs through a multifarious typology of the spicule shape itself. This shape results from a variation of arm numbers, spicule geometry, as well as end mutation. These variations create either a density or a porosity of structures. In application, this density and porosity lends itself to a seeding point control for an ultimate crystallization with this Halokinesis Machine. Where more structure is needed to bear weight, denser spicules are incorporated. Meanwhile, where there is a less intensive load, less material can be used, which results in a more porous spicule shape. This incorporation of variety is an essential component to this thesis. In addition, the exploration applied a high number of spicules, assisting in the realization that this thesis needs to consider the supply needed to achieve a complete structure. case studies

A Different Approach _alternative salt research

In the precedent studies, we learned the properties of salt from artists, architects and engineers, and many other perspectives. We started to understand its materiality and the poetic quality in its nature. However, those cases isolate only one or a few qualities of salt. For designing the halokinesis machine, we had to be able to control the salt we use and play a role in global climate changes, and do more to take our precedent research further. SCALE The project Venus explored the "controlled salt crystallization", where Tokujin used poly-fiber to create a porous scaffold and initiated crystallization with meaningful shapes. However, the salt chair is kept in a water tank just for exhibition. For Halokinesis machine, the space created is not only on a much larger scale, it is also meant to perform structurally. Therefore, the Halokinesis research happens on multiple scales. With limited space and equipment, the research only occurs on the human scale, but what should be kept in mind is that approaches such as massive industrial fabrication or off-site fabrication should be avoided. Instead, a generative, decentralized, and adaptive approach should be developed.

thesis premise

TIME In the Dead Sea project, the artist submerges objects in the saturated body of water for months in order achieve maximum crystallization. Crystallization is a slow and natural process but, in the project, time is completely determined by the natural condition of the site. In our Halokinesis research, we are looking for a naturally driven, low-energy cost approach, while still having control of the process, the system must have agency. This means the system should be able to include time as an essential parameter, instead of sanctioning nature's control. MATERIALITY To harvest salt, Tokujin used polyfiber as the material of scaffolding, which is an artificial pre-fabricated material and hard to acquire. In Halokinesis Machine will be working on a global scale so the material acquirement and scaffolding need to be on-site, simple, and direct. This indicates a low energy cost, also echoing with the redundancy and simplicity of the element salt.

a different approach

How Are We Exploring Salt? _parameters for crystal growth

We envisaged utilising salt as a building material, but it was a challenge to test its potential and try to explore different possibilities to optimise the design.The transformation of salt from an ionic state dissolved in solution to a solid crystal in the form of crystallization is a phenomenon whose principles we cannot observe with the naked eye. Based on a series of studies and papers, we tried to find a more intuitive approach through scientific analysis. By means of a series of experiments and tests combining different types of salt, environmental conditions and other heterogeneous materials, we investigated how salt can be produced as a building element and raw material. The key to all this lies in the conditions required for crystallization. Firstly, we tried to understand salt in our own way, although refined salt is an everyday necessity, we still do not know enough about it. By using our sensuality to experience the transformation of salt between ionic and liquid states, we noted the many physical properties of the salt crystals themselves, being highly translucent and compressive, but fragile due to the unique shape of the crystals themselves. This means that the crystals can have a high structural strength in one form or another, but are unable to form large spans of arched structures on their own. During the course of our initial experiments, we found that the crystals were more likely to be produced on the inner walls of containers and on the surfaces of other objects within the solution, which inspired us to start thinking about the possibility of using salt in combination with other substances to form structures. Through the analysis of a number of case studies, this eventually gave rise to the idea of providing scaffolding for the growth of salt.

thesis premise

On this basis of the research, we divided the different parameters that would influence the crystallization process into two main categories, solution-related and scaffold-related. The solution-related ones mainly affect the speed of crystallization, while the latter affect the form of the crystal structure. The former mainly includes the type of salt, temperature, humidity, concentration and so on, while the latter includes the material, form and duration of crystallization of the scaffold. By applying a controlled variables approach, we have attempted to examine the importance of the different variables and to gain a detailed understanding of the properties of the different types of salt. On the solution side, we found that concentration and temperature were the most important parameters, and that when the solution is saturated, salt precipitates whenever the temperature decreases or water evaporates. For scaffolding, we tried a range of different materials such as wool, organic fibers, sponges, metals, wood and plastics and found that absorbent materials enhanced the crystallization reaction and that the crystals grow more on the rougher surfaces.

how are we exploring salt

_the exploring of the scaffolding

For scaffolding systems we can say that there are almost unlimited possibilities for exploration, as salt can crystallize on the surface of any object. We tried to compare and experiment with different categories of scaffolding and tried to think about how these structures could be generated in different forms. There are two main categories, coherent and discrete, further subdividing the former into three different geometrical types, and the latter according to whether its constituent elements are homogeneous or not.

Wool

Fiber

Sponge

/Metal /Plastic /Wood /...

thesis premise

COHERENT SYSTEM The need to adapt to the environment is difficult to meet if the material of the structure in a coherent system is rigid and difficult to deform. We started with soft material and semi-rigid material. For linear types, string, wool, and fibre were our first choice. Inspired by Frei Otto's experiments with wool, we sought to explore the form generation of the fine fibres in wool when immersed in a solution, where the surface tension of the water brings these fibres close to each other, creating interconnected threads of different thicknesses. As for the surface, we experimented with mixing different concentrations and salt solution types with paint and applied it to the surface of the paper, discovering that the inherently soft paper produced an undulating surface in the presence of water. The crystals had the effect of reinforcing it, allowing it to maintain its curved form. Sponges were our choice of volume-type. By using different forces to pull and compress the sponge, we found that the salt crystals grew in the pores inside the sponge, allowing it to maintain its deformation. DISCRETE SYSTEM When we were experimenting with sponges, we accidentally found two pieces of sponge bonded together by salt crystals to form a whole. This led us to think about the self-binding properties of salt. In fact, the process of salt crystallisation is itself a process whereby numerous small salt crystals fuse with each other to form larger crystals, so why not attempt to break up the coherent system into a series of elements and combine them into a larger whole through the process of crystallization? In this way, we can have more power over the material and unconstrained by its softness. Crystals are not necessarily strong enough to support themselves, and if we could choose materials that are sturdy enough independantly, then we could explore more forms and structures that we would otherwise not have had the opportunity to experiment.

how are we exploring salt

_the exploring of the scaffolding

SPICULES AS BASIC UNIT Inspired by the MinimaForms Project and the skeleton structure of glass sponge, we used the spicules as the basic element of our system. The spicules are small skeletal elements of most sponges, by fusing together they form the structure of the skeleton. When exploring this structural element, we studied possible mutations and classifications. To continue the exploration of the spicule we tested several other possibilities outside the natural shape of sponges. We separated them by number of axes and different ends mutations to provide diverse outcomes when aggregating them. DISCRETE ELEMENTS, COHERENT WHOLE Most spicules in themselves have a very stable centrosymmetry form, which in our project would give the structure a better performance on holding different shapes after aggregation. When numerous spicules are entangled with each other, they form an interlocking structure that is robust in itself. There are no rigid points of connection, so all spicules are loosely connected to each other, which provides opportunities for deformation and metamorphosis. This structure generated by collective behavior also create porosity that is well suited to the growth of salt crystals, and the latter can fuse originally loose elements together to form a whole.

thesis premise

Material

FORM

POPULATION

EXPERIMENTS AND SIMULATIONS Combining the physical experiments and digital simulations, we tried to learn more about how to find a efficient way to organize the spicules and grow more crystal on them. By utilizing different techniques, we used several material like PLA, Plywood, acrylic and metal to make the spicules. Spicules made of materials such as plastic will stay suspended in the water due to buoyancy, while those made of wood and metal will sink straight to the bottom. In addition to this, we tried to control the environment temperature to test the stability of the structure after crystallization. Heating the solution would accelerate the crystallization happened on the surface of solution while cooling it down will cause more crystal grow at the bottom, so the choice of material can also be influenced by differences in the environment.

how are we exploring salt

Timelines _crystallization as a descriptor of time

Understanding timeframes in this time-based process is a fundamental step in comprehension of natural salt crystallization, and further, a mastery or assimilation on our part within this process. A key feature in realizing the purpose for this time nessecity is the outcome exhibits a moment in time within its layers. Similar to a tree's rings, one can look at a salt formation and understand the conditions at each segment of the formation. Thus, outputs are a snapshot of time. As we said that the crystallization essentially freezes our spicule arrangements in a moment in time, the crystals themselves doing the same, and the whole is thus self-referrential.

thesis premise

Salt tectonics, halokinesis, and crystallization is typically referred to as existing within the "geological time scale", or existing within the history of the Earth. Attempting to capitalize on a system that exists on a completely different time scale as that of our human existence and modern history remains a challenge. The question regarding our project's time scale is perpetually reviewed. We cannot speed up time. We can speed up processes such as heating up salt solutions hotter than the desert would, increasing evaporation rates, and crystallizing quicker. However, doing this ultimately dissociates the research project from our in-situ element of interest, salt. Our crystallizations have been baked in the oven and exposed to multiple heat lamps, and interestingly, we consider these to be our most successful experiments. With the crystallization sped up, we could finally see a proper outcome as we would see in natural circumstances. On the other hand, a smaller scale tank experiment was left to evaporate naturally for over two months, leading to more revelations about the natural salt crystallization processes. Over time, dendritic growth occured more in this naturally evaporated formation as a slower evaporation rate led to smaller crystals on the tips of the salt. After observing this small scale successful experiment, the timeline of crystallization became apparent. On the walls of the tank, where the salt creep occured, we could see the moment we all left for summer break. Such expressions came from our holiday, when it rained, when the tank was moved, when the initial solution was poured on the scaffold, and when exponential crystallization first took place. Following those time "lines" on the walls of the tank, the same expression is witnessed on the crystallized formation as well. Time is thus articulated on these formational structures. We intend to create an intimate correspondence between the time scales of our models and the formational expression.

timelines

Contextual Futures _learning from the Dead Sea

Salt formations and halokinesis found in natural circumstances have provided us with a base point in realizing output formations. These bodies reveal the extended possibilities salt posses and can be introduced now on a larger scale. The Dead Sea, the saltiest body on the planet, has been a source of precedence, as our crystallization experiments and methods simulate the saltwater and evaporation natural to the area. As ocean salinity averages to 25 PPM, the Dead Sea is about 45 PPM, situated in a hot and arid climate predisposed unique crystallized formations. Although most formations in the Dead Sea are either purely salt, compounded salt with other minerals, or salt growing off rocks, genesis of these formations still prevail.

thesis premise

Our Halokinetic research gradually increases scale and attempts to implement contextual value to our outputs. Currently our crystallized spicule formations combine scale employing 1:1 salt crystallization, but paired with variable spicule scales and aggregations. Structurally, salt behaves better in compression. Through evaluation, our goal is to better understand the intrinsic product of an almost uncontrollable, natural process. By introducing a underarching scaffold, we obtain the ability to inform crystallization, ultimately imposing a specific procedure in its growth.

contextual futures

Salt Futures _"Salt as a Building Material: Current Status and Future Opportunitues" by Vesna Pungercar and Florian Musso

This paper is the first ever review of salt materials as building materials. This indicates that salt materials need to be further analyzed and the paper suggests several recommendations for future application: 1. Salt mixed with other materials can increase the resource efficiency in building construction. Currently, REA gypsum represents around 50% of the gypsum used in Germany, but this resource will soon disappear because of the planned closure of the country’s coal power plants. Therefore, mixing salt with gypsum or other materials could reduce the demand for energy-consuming or rare materials. 2. Some salt materials (such as salt concrete and Karshif) can influence indoor environment conditions. Salt concrete can absorb and release heat from the air and could be used as a thermal storage material in climates with high day-night temperature differences. Karshif (salt-clay) can absorb and release the vapor from the air and could be used as a humidity storage material in climate conditions with short exposure to higher relative humidity. 3. Salt materials with a higher amount of salt and increased efflorescence on the surface could positively affect human health in buildings. Emissions from salt materials could provide healthier working or living conditions. Salt is not toxic, is free of chemical emissions and has no odor.

thesis premise

4. Raw salt materials or salt brines could be used for temporary building construction such as pavilions, exhibition construction, and shading systems of buildings and open areas. Temporary building structures in very hot and dry climate conditions could be built with the technique of salt crystal growth following seawater evaporation and could easily be demolished with water. 5. Salt is not flammable and has good acoustic properties (in comparison with wood it has higher average bulk density). It could be used as infill material for walls in dry and hot climate conditions. 6. Salt materials can be adapted to different building techniques (e.g., 3D printing, additive manufacturing, masonry, prefabrication). https://www.doi.org/10.15274/tpj.2021.06.02.4

salt futures

Situational Crystallizations _ environmental factors

LEARNING FROM EXPERIMENTS In the time when our crystallizations were left for a few months to evaporate, we were able to identify key natural features of salt crystallization including situational dispositions in the surrounding environment. Although in the hot summer days, the large tank left outdoors to crystallize did not continually crystallize like it had when we placed heat lamps within the first 16 days of crystallization. In order to properly crystallize, salt needs heat for the water to evaporate, but there should be an absence of moisture, of humidity. We initially belived any moisture can be detrimental to continuous crystal growth and can reverse the months of crystal growth. However, after our second large tank crystallization, beginning in October 2022, it became apparant that even with all the rain and snow that caused high humidity in the air, that the crystallization was able to persist. In a warm solution, salt can properly and quickly dissolve, but after the solution cools, salt crystals separate from the water and thus attach to anything in proximity. Therefore, our crystallization occured heavily underwater even in a cold solution. Investigating the second large tank crystallization, we decided to add a fan to induce water turbidity, helping move solution around. This fan was active during the wettest time of the year in London, yet the tank still crystallized. We also sprayed saline solution on the spicules throughout the crystalliation process to increase salt growth. Further, an overheated water surface causes surface crystallization. Salt is an excellent insulator of heat, so anything behind solid crystallization are shielded. We learned this after observing that evaporation rates reduce after full coverage of crystallization from the surface.

thesis premise

Tank 01 Crystallization

Tank 02 Crystallization

Scrutinizing the crystallizations after a couple months of non-interference and non-observation revealed the more innate tendencies of salt crystallization and thus informing requirements of site. UNDERSTANDING SITUATIONAL NECESSITIES Our conclusion is the ideal locality is not necessarily dependant on humidity, and if anything more hydroapplications can increase crystallization. Whether localities are meant for the process of crystallization and/ or decisive outcomes (growing architecture), oceanic and coastal circumstances remain central to conduct and relay situational architectures.

situational crystallizations

_site relationships

ACTIVE SALT DEVELOPMENTS The Siwa Oasis and the people of the settlement, for example, manifest an architectural vernacular built with mud and salt, with crystallization occurring overtime from exposure to moisture. However, its existence in the desert has enabled this material to endure rather than dissolve because of its low humidity and high heat. A cave, however, is an ideal location for salt crystallization to occur as it follows compressive awareness, maintains its own microclimate, and is thus a stabilized environment. Realizations of an obscure site relationship could validate and commission our own intimate predilections on decentralization in the modern world. EPHEMERAL ATTITUDES These sites, though, are not only determined regarding ideal conditions for salt crystallization to occur, but the ways it can be utilized to sustain life. However, of the few researchers interested in salt as a new type of ecomaterial for architectural purposes, most of them have coated their salt modules in an epoxy. One researcher, Eric Geboers of TU Delft, has been researching saltbased materials and is in the process of searching for an eco-friendly coating to replace epoxy. Coatings were a necessary discussion as our goal is to not invalidate the use of salt as an ecological, elemental harvesting, and utilize its cyclical nature of crystallizing and dissolving. The ephemeral quality of salt crystallization does not need to be a detriment to the project, rather we explored taking advantage of this with our scenarios.

thesis premise

Halokinesis Crystallization

Siwa Oasis

Halite Cave

situational crystallizations

Spatial Postulations _notes on form and shape

Highly informed space, in this case, is determined by what salt and its crystallization needs. Placing this as the ultimate driver in design causes us to rely on the knowledge and research we have gained over the course of this thesis. Compression is applied structurally in cases of masonry and further, salt. Precedents using salt in architectural purposes have typically mixed it with other architectural materials such as stucco, mud, plaster, and concrete in order to further its compressive strength. HALOKINESIS, TECTONIC FORMATIONS Mineral Base_ Composite Crust

Pull Apart_ Rhomb

Namakier_ Salt Glacier

Surface Crack_ Weak Point Salt Rising_ Pressure Pump

crystallized Arch

Crystallized Vault

thesis premise

Crystallized Dome

ARCHITECTURAL SALT TYPOLOGIES Being a mineral, salt is mostly witnessed in geological formations, but its halokinetic, tectonic qualities act as a fluid. The flowing characteristics of salt over a geological time scale is the reason as to why salt intrudes in geological circumstances manifesting as a salt dome, salt glacier, salt pillows, and many more. Understanding the structures and mega-structures of salt proves necessary to furthering our large-scale spatial conceptions.* It becomes critical to identify these halokinetic forms and apply them in our own circumstances. Typologies that are surface-active such as an arch, dome, or vault will be the most ideal spatial outputs, exploiting the structural disposition of salt. However, as our research shows, in order to inform our own conceptualized outputs, incorporating a scaffold regarded in tension can open more possibilities. The spicule formations we have introduced into the crystallization processes exist in compression as an individual spicule is wedged into another spicule and becomes compacted. We have identified that over time our spicule formations, when in the process of crystallizing, settle into specific shapes that cannot necessarily be controlled. The spicules provide a basis to initiate any deliberate form of our choosing. In both salt crystallization and spicules, we need to give in to a loss of control and agency and tend to the needs of the chaotic and the natural. Prototyping will need to be in constant dialogue between the agent and this spatial inevitability.

spatial concepts

Purpose and Program _giving meaning to the structure

ADAPTIVE STRUCTURE ON THE WATER SURFACE In the 'unlimited solution', ocean, the salt is in superabundance, which is an ideal site for the halokinesis machine. In this case, the agent should be equipped with the ability to float and move on the surface of the water. With the self-binding nature of the element, salt and scaffolds could create meaningful structures and spaces. In the sea, the project can create flood dikes to prevent the damage of floods and tsunamis. Or floating islands and bridge structures in the ocean. HABITABLE SPACE IN EXTREME CONDITION After observing the salt crystal for months, we realized it* requires certain conditions to sustain its shape and strength. Dryness is very important, which leads to another potential site of Halokinesis: the desert. Desert environments are ideal: the heat would dramatically increase the rate of evaporation and keep the crystals strong for a long time. Salt exists in vast amounts in most areas of the world, including the desert, so the structure and space created can be used as habitable space in the desert. Furthermore, one of the natural qualities of salt is the ability to reflect light, which also suits the purpose of habitation in the desert as to reflex the heat conveyed by the sunlight. POTENTIAL BUILDING MATERIALS Salt known as the enemy of architectural material is harmful to timber, concrete, metal, etc. However, the structural tests show the potential of salt and scaffold being able to create structures that can hold, and the self-binding nature of the salt can also be applied to construction.

thesis premise

Adaptive structure on the water surface Salt island in the dead sea

Habitable space in extreme condition Slat mountain in the salt marsh

Potential building materials 'Small scale architecture' of Erez Nevi Pana

Monument of nature and history Salt column in the dead sea

MONUMENT OF NATURE AND HISTORY No matter which purpose the Halokinesis Machine would be used, a structure on a globe scale made of salt crystals would be a human-nature-made monument. It's adaptive yet the process of changing is slow. The salt not only binds discrete things together, reflects light, and bears weight, but the element also absorbs colours, dissolves, and re-crystallizes through time. It will be a living monument made of salt, that is constantly dissolving as well as freezing moments in the time that we live in.

purpose and program

How the System Would Work _decentralized system

Beyond different objectives and mechanisms, our project hopes to create a bottom-up system where each agent can individually analyze their own environment and make decisions to participate in collective actions. By designing and embedding intelligent systems, our goal is to create a community that receives data from the external environment and translates it into instructions to perform specific actions. They will be able to change their behavioural patterns in order to adapt to their environment in the face of continuous or substantial environmental change. Following the information flow, a structure would be generated by the swarming behavior that constantly interacts with the local organisms and the terrain. Creating a decentralized system enabled a human-free, self-regulating system in symbiosis with the ecosystem.

Structural stable

Inter-Connection

Collective Behavior

thesis premise

spicules as basic unit

Halokinetic Application _ coral rehabilitation

We explored salt as a structuring, preservational, and nutritional agent, necessary in Earth’s ecological processes and beings. Highlighting these intrinsic characteristics led us to exploit all functions in our outputs, leading us to explore areas in need to salt re-balancing, lacking necessary nutrients, and formational proposals that can help rather than harm. Although there are many problems and consequences of human activity to the environment, a high profile issue is coral bleaching. Investigating salinity imbalances throughout the world revealed that coral are suffering from freshwater intrusion, lacking the necessary nutrients from the ecological salinity maintained on the planet for thousands of years. Environmental events such as monsoons cause turmoil in the oceans, with coral not just lacking nutrients, but also swells throughout the ocean cause harmful movements for coral spawns, or polyps. We took this and addressed all the necessary variables that our system can employ to better coral colonies. Our Halokinesis did not only check the salinity factor, but also protective and barrier configurations inherent to our system.

thesis premise

halokinetic application

Salt History i. Salt Sourcing & Collection ii. Salt Processes iii. Salt Tectonics

Salt Sourcing and Collection _production methods

Salt is a mineral produced naturally on Earth. Thus, over millions of years geologic formations have produced an abundance of salt later to be found by humans and exploited for thousands of years. Both natural and artificial methods for enacting salt have yielded a collection of methods for both production and collection. Analyzing these source points is critical to understanding how to engage and utilize saline in necessary outputs that will be employed eventually in the project. The agent we seek to produce will be capable of harnessing salt, and possibly producing it. Thus, to collect crystal seeds would mean the necessity of crystallization within the agent, while to collect salt solutions would mean the necessity of straining crystals from the liquid within the agent.

salt history

harvesting crystal seeds

harvesting salt

Crystallization after agent collection

Crystallization before agent collection

---

natural Salt Dome (Deposit) Salt Playa Salt Sedimentary Bed (Deposit) Salt Glacier

natural Brine Spring Salt Lake Ocean Brine Pool

artificial Underground Mining Solar Salt Evaporation Ponds Potash Mining

artificial Vacuum Pan Salt Open-pan Salt Solution Mining Desalination Plants Brine Mining

salt sourcing and collection

NATURAL SALT DOME

SALT LAKE

A salt dome is a mound or column of salt that has intruded upwards into overlying sediments, known as diapirism.

A salt lake is a landlocked body of water that has a concentration of salts significantly higher than most lakes.

Salt domes can form in a sedimentary basin where a thick layer of salt is overlain by younger sediments of significant thickness.

In some cases, salt lakes have a higher concentration of salt than sea water. Salt lakes form when the water flowing into the lake, containing salt or minerals, cannot leave because the lake is endorheic. The water then evaporates, leaving behind any dissolved salts and thus increasing its salinity. Eventually, continuous evaporation greater than water flow can lead to a dry lake or salt playa.

SALT PLAYA

SALT SEDIMENTARY BED

Playa lakes are usually inland lakes in desert regions. All rocks contain salt, and when rain falls, the rock is partly dissolved, so salt goes into the water.

Halite, the mineral name for salt, forms when salt-rich water evaporates, leaving the salt behind. Biologic sedimentary rocks are either composed of fragments (or the whole) of living creatures, or they are formed by biologic processes.

Playa lakes have no exit, and so the water goes no farther. In a desert, the hot sunshine simply evaporates it, so that the amount of salt in the lake gets higher. Eventually a point comes when the water cannot hold all of the salt in solution, and some of it comes out to make salt crusts.

salt history

SALT GLACIER

BRINE POOL

A salt glacier (or namakier) is a rare flow of salt that is created when a rising diapir in a salt dome breaches the surface of the Earth. The sources of salt glaciers are salt deposits.

A salt marsh is a coastal ecosystem between land and open salt-water that is regularly flooded by the tides. They occur on low-energy shorelines in temperate and high-latitudes.

Over time sediments, rock and debris cover the deposit causing layers to build up over the salt. Due to its crystalline structure, salt remains at the same density while the sediment above begins to compress and become denser. The density contrast is the mechanism in which salt begins to rise.

BRINE SPRING

OCEAN

A brine spring is a salt-water spring. Brine springs are not necessarily associated with halite deposits in the immediate vicinity. They may occur at valley bottoms made of clay and gravel which became soggy with brine seeped downslope from the valley sides.

The ocean is saline rich because the rain that falls on the land contains some dissolved carbon dioxide from the surrounding air. This causes the rainwater to be slightly acidic due to carbonic acid. The rain physically erodes the rock and the acids chemically break down the rocks and carries salts and minerals along in a dissolved state as ions.

The ions in the runoff are carried to the streams and rivers and then to the ocean. Ions that are not used by organisms are left for long periods of time where their concentrations increase over time. 97 percent of all water on and in the Earth is saline. 59 salt sourcing and collection

ARTIFICIAL VACUUM PAN SALT

OPEN-PAN SALT

Vacuum Pan Salt evaporates salt brine by steam heat in large commercial evaporators. This method yields a very high purity salt, fine in texture, and principally used in those applications requiring the highest quality salt.

Open-pan Salt Making extracts salt from brine using open pans. It uses evaporation to strengthen and evaporate the brine to make salt crystals.

Whenever pressure is lowered, the temperature at which water will boil is also lowered. The brine used in the process is typically produced by Solution Mining.

Extending from the traditional, the Openpan method, today, has been transformed to industrial methods such as Solar Salt Evaporation Ponds, but can be utilized in small scale personal use as well. The three types of industrial salt production that uses a variation of this method include Coastal salt production, Inland salt production, and Salt Refining.

SOLAR SALT EVAPORATION PONDS

DESALINATION

Solar Salt Evaporation Ponds are shallow, artificial basins designed to extract salt from seawater, salty lakes, mineral-rich springs, or other brines through natural evaporation. Natural salt pans are geological formations that are also created by water evaporating and leaving behind salts. They are almost entirely located in warm climates with high evaporation and low precipitation.

Desalination is a process that takes away mineral components from saline water. Salt-water is desalinated to produce water suitable for human consumption.

The biproduct of the desalination process is brine, and is usually disposed of by dumping it back into the sea, a process that requires costly pumping systems and damages marine ecosystems.

salt history

UNDERGROUND MINING

POTASH MINING

Underground salt-mining extracts natural salt deposits from underground. The mined salt is usually in the form of halite, extracted from evaporate formations.

Potash Mining uses a similar system to Solution Mining, injecting hot water into the potash, which is then dissolved and pumped to the surface where it is concentrated by solar induced evaporation.

Mining salt used to be one of the most expensive and dangerous of operations because of rapid dehydration caused by constant contact with the salt as well as problems such as excessive sodium intake. The Industrial Revolution made Underground Mining less dangerous, and therefore, more plentiful.

Traditionally, Potash essentially created salt from ash and is principally obtained by leeching the ashes of land and sea plants. The ash is soaked in water in a pot, the solution evaporates, leaving the mineral composition.

SOLUTION MINING

BRINE MINING

Solution Mining is the mining of various salts by dissolving them and pumping the resulting brine to the surface where it is concentrated of processed to recover the desires output.

Brine Mining is the extraction of salt which are naturally dissolved in brine. In Brine Mining, the materials are already dissolved, as opposed to In-Situ Leaching and Solution Mining.

Water or under-saturated brine is injected through a purpose-designed well drilled into a salt mass to etch out a void or cavern.

One of the best environmental implications for Brine Mining is the possibility of using the brine produced from Desalination Plants as the concentrate in Brine Mining.

salt sourcing and collection

Ocean Salination _natural salination processes

Ocean salination is a closed cycle of the movement of salt through the earth’s ecosystem. The general salinity comes from the minerals on Earth dissolving into the world’s oceans. The equilibrium that occurs is a ratio dependent on the water’s temperature. An increase in ocean salinity is a typical result of the evaporation of seawater and the freezing of seawater. A decrease is typically the result of precipitation of rain/ snow, river runoff, ice melt, and groundwater flow to the ocean. When these are in balance, there is a constant salinity level over time. OCEAN SALINITY LEVELS

SALINITY PERCENTAGES OF WATER CYCLES

salt history

ocean salination

Saltwater Intrusion _rising sea level effect

Rising sea levels result in a higher salt water intrusion into freshwater supplies on Earth. The elevating ocean levels force a mixing of the natural fresh waters and saline waters, which retreats inland more and more. Groundwater that discharges into the coast prevents an imminent landward encroachment of salt-water from the ocean. Coastal communities deal with salt-water intrusion by constructing sub-zero dams that block saline water from penetrating further into the land.

GROUNDWATER WELL SALINE IMPACT

COASTLINE SALINE INTRUSION

salt history

saltwater intrusion

Salt Extraction _methods of salt collection

There a three main ways to extract salt from the Earth. The first being mining, it is the least utilized form. Mining salt is primarily done 700m below the Earth’s surface. The second being reverse osmosis filtration, this process is set to utilize the permeable nature of membrane to capture sediment and salt and extract pure water, leading two a two fold result. The third is the solar salt production, a process that has been used for centuries to cultivate salt from the ocean and dry it, leading to crystallization. CRYSTALLLIZERS

UNDERGROUND SALT MINE

salt history

Extracting salt to crystallize and grow is a key aspect to the solar coverings created by the agents. By extracting salts from the ocean, the agents’ structures can self-crystallize and form a sheet that blocks intense UV penetration.

salt extraction

Desalination _methods of salt collection

The process of isolating and removing salts and minerals and bacteria from seawater to extract fresh water with the intention of human consumption and industrial utilization, desalination is an energy demanding operation. Starting with seawater, the process requires multiple steps of clarifying and filtering the saline water, resulting in two outputs, fresh water and brine. The brine is typically deposited back in to the ocean, a potentially harmful deposit. SEMI-PERMEABLE MEMBRANES

NaCl AND H2O SEPARATION

CHARGED FILTRATION

salt history

desalination

Heat Storage _harvesting energy from salt

Having electricity readily available in times that the renewable source is not, is central to the need to store energy. By using molten salt, there is a highly resourceful material of salt, which allows for an efficient output. The molten salt isn’t toxic, which makes it safe for use. Its viscosity is similar to water, so its flow is predictable and controllable. SOLAR SALT STORAGE

INDUCTION STORAGE

salt history

The use of salt heat storage can be implemented into the salination process. By attempting to have self-sustaining systems, self-production of energy is necessary. The solar heat attained within the salt structures that are formed can be converted into energy.

heat structures

Salt Tectonics _analyzing halokinesis formations

Halokinesis is defined as the movement ofsalt and salt bodes, similar to the movement of water. It is the study of subsurface flows of salt as well as emplacement, structure, and tectonics of salt bodies. Another term used to refer to the study of salt bodies and they’re structural formation is salt tectonics. While salt flows influence geological tectonics through the creation of structural taps and reservoir distributions, it also serves as a basis to fluid migration around the world. These structures are categorized into the tectonic typologies. Each salt tectonic tyology is defined by certain environmental inpits in a given region of the world. Mainly, the subsurface pressure and density of the earth catalyze a variation of formations, creating unique shapes and surface penetration. While salt tectonics have been simulated through the scanning of subsurface structures, they are defined by their environmental input, which translates into typical formations. The halokinetic tectonics that we simulated are established through vetted research data, mainly the Earth’s crust density, pressure at given subsurface levels, and mineral compositions. These factors were inputted as variables within the simulation, outputting what we see as salt tectonics.

salt history

TECTONIC BREAKING

HALOKINESIS TYPOLOGIES Salt Canopy

Salt Wall

Salt Anticline

Salt Roller

Salt Pillow

salt tectonics

Salt Sheet

Salt Stock

Salt Teardrop

REAL SALT TECTONICS PRECEDENTS linear piercement

Salt Canopy

Salt Wall

Tectonics

Salt Sheet

Salt Teardrop

Salt Stock

colunn piercement

Salt Anticline

salt history

SIMULATED SALT TECTONICS PRECEDENTS lidar scanning

Salt Canopy Multiple

SubSurface Teardrop

Tectonics

Salt Piercement

Salt Anticline Multiple

Salt Section Analysis

Salt Stock Multiple

sectional scanning

salt tectonics

INITIAL SIMULATIONS

salt history

EARTH NEGATIVES Simulating this phenomena, we inputted initial and surface state pressures as well as rock densities, which defined a generic cylindrical tectonic. The effect of halokinetic structures on the earth’s cryst leves impressions which are marked by the pushing of local tectonic plates, creating a fracture which is filled in by salt flow.

SUBSURFACE PIERCEMENT

salt tectonics

SALT TECTONIC SIMULATIONS initial simulations

SALT ANTICLINE

SALT CANOPY

SALT SHEET

SALT STOCK

SALT TEARDROP

SALT WALL

salt history

Ultimately thesis tectonics typologies yield a wide variety of results dependent upon its local region, however the ultimate properties remain the same. Those properties are determined by the stability of the halokinesis as well as the potency of the salt. Salt tectonics typically penetrate the earth’s crust at a depth of -8000 meters, and continue to find the most ideal open cracks to permeate through. The typologies of salt tectonics are mirrored by the topological typologies of tectonic plates. Due to the occurence of these halokinetic structures at the tectonic plates, their penetration is ammased at water body regions which furthers a crystallized above surface formation, which we see as salt flats, salt lakes, brine pools, and more. Over millions of years these geologic formations have produced an abundance of salt, later to be discovered through anthropocentric necessities and harvested for use. Analyzing these source points and salt tectonics is critical to understanding how to engage with large scale salt formations and utilize the inputs of pressure and density into necessary outputs that will be emplayed in the project.

salt tectonics

LARGE SCALE SALT CANOPY _in-situ prototyping simulations

salt history

salt tectonics

SALT TECTONIC SIMULATIONS _sectional growth typologies

SALT ANTICLINE

SALT CANOPY

SALT SHEET

SALT STOCK

SALT TEARDROP

SALT WALL

salt history

salt tectonics

IN-SITU SALT ANTICLINE

salt history

salt tectonics

IN-SITU SALT SHEET

salt history

salt tectonics

IN-SITU SALT CANOPY

salt history

salt tectonics

Material & Crystallization i. Context ii. Molecular Classifications iii. Crystal Simulations iv. Energy & Environmental v. Ion Concentrations

Context _abundance

Oceans cover about 70 percent of the Earth’s surface and about 97 percent of all water on and in the Earth is saline. Salt in the ocean comes from rocks on land. The rain that falls on the land contains some dissolved carbon dioxide from the surrounding air. This causes the rainwater to be slightly acidic due to carbonic acid. The rain physically erodes the rock and the acids chemically break down the rocks and carries salts and minerals along in a dissolved state as ions. The ions in the runoff are carried to the streams and rivers and then to the ocean. Many of the dissolved ions are used by organisms in the ocean and are removed from the water. Others are not used up and are left for long periods of time where their concentrations increase over time.

70%

95%

3.5%

of the Earth is covered by Oceans

of all water on Earth is saline

of weight of seawater comes from salt

ABUNDANCE

43%

Mining

40%

salt brines

HARVESTING

material and crystallization

evaporation of salt water

HOW SALT REACHES THE OCEAN

context

Crystallography _our own study of crystals

The study of crystals in this project necessarily led us to compare the nuances in complexity of each crystal type's structure, optical properties, heat and energy input and output, size, binding quality, and growth rates. Properties of certain crystals enabled site locations and scaffold necessities, further informing the selection of useful crystals for further study. Thus, table salt and epsom salt became our crystal of interest.

material & crystallization

scan of an early cystallization test

crystallography

Salt Classifications _molecular structures

MAGNESIUM SULFATE CRYSTALLIZATION

SODIUM ACETATE CRYSTALLIZATION 96

material and crystallization

Sodium Acetate crystal

Sodium Chloride crystal

Epson Salt crystal

marble granite

soil brick 2.5

glass masonry

low performance concrete

rammed earth

1.5

clay brick high performance concrete

common brick salt 1 ice oak 0.5

cedar

pinewood

0 1

100

salt classifications

1000

Salt Phases _phase change

Combining water and sodium chloride catalyses various phase changes. The solution structure emerges within ionic, crystalline, and liquid phases. During the reaction, a negative chloride ion is attached to a sodium ion, forming a stable atomic arrangement.

IONIC PHASE CHANGES

LIQUID PHASE CHANGES

material and crystallization

The crystalline process is dissociative, meaning the breaking down of the molecules is central to the reorganization of the ions. In liquid formation, there are specific temperature ratios that result in a eutectic point, the point at which the crystallization is most likely to occur.

CRYSTALLINE PHASE CHANGES

salt phases

Natural Growth _sourcing crystals

There are three ways in which crystals can be formed. We focused on the one and the process of how atoms dissolve in water, and then gather into uniform structures to stabilize when the liquid starts to cool down.

PROCESS OF CRYSTALLIZATION IN WATER Molecules gather to stabilize when liquid starts to cool and harden

Small atoms dissolve in water

100

Uniform and repetitive pattern in a crystal

material and crystallization

CRYSTALS GROWING AS MAGMA COOLS When magma is at a high temperature, it is completely liquid because high kinetic energy ensures that no solid is stable

liquid magma

solidified magma

CRYSTALS PRECIPITATING FROM WATER Occurs when minerals precipitate from water to form aqueous minerals

liquid magma

solidified magma

CRYSTALS FORMING BY CHEMICAL REACTIONS Where a solution of compounds can be dissolved in hot water and then cooled. As it cools, one substance crystallizes

Magnesium Sulphate

Sodium Acetate

natural growth

101

Atom Structures _salt nucleation

A crystal structure is an ordered arrangement of atoms, ions or molecules in crystalline material, for example sodium chloride or NaCl. The crystal is effectively one molecule. An atom covalent bonds to four others, which in turn bond to four others, and so on. Na+ and Cl- ions occupy the space, formulating a structure that is most efficient for growth. The resulting unit cell becomes the small repeating aggregate of the crystal. Each unit acts as a building block supporting the composite structure of the formation.

NaCl ATOM STRUCTURE

102

ATOM CATEGORIZATION

salt history

atom structures

103

Crystal and Classification _geometries

Each crystal is formed in their own crystal habit, according to the molecular composition of the atom. The general forms and combinations manifest themselves at the eucectic point, catalysing a wide range of crystal formations. A regular crystalline structure is organized and grid like. The polycrystalline is the aggregate that begins to break formation, ultimately becoming an amorphous aggregation. Crystal that typically form as amorphous are based within dendritic and botryoidal habits. Ultimately all of these crystalline structures fall into the mesophase category within the phase change process. Presented as theromotropic, crystals move towards a source of heat and grow further.

104

material and crystallization

CRYSTALLINE PHASE CHANGES

crystal and classifications

105

Crystal structure is a description of the ordered arrangement of atoms, ions or molecules in a crystalline material, the structure occur from the intrinsic nature of the constituent particles to form symmetric patterns that repeat along the principal directions of three-dimensional space in matter. Crystal structure is described in terms of the geometry of arrangement of particles in the unit cell. The unit cell is defined as the smallest repeating unit having the full symmetry of the crystal structure. The positions of particles inside the unit cell are described by the fractional coordinates (x, y, z) along the cell edges. The initial structural setup of the atoms will define the shape of crystals, and they need enough space and material to grow a certain Geometric shape. Crystal’s atoms are arranged in a highly organized, repeating pattern, from which the properties of different crystals emerge.

106

material and crystallization

6 DIFFERENT TYPES OF ATOM STRUCTURE

crystal and classifications

107

Crystal Simulation _snowflake

Figures on this pageshows a diagram illustrating the computation for one small patch. Note that the zeros in the array of unreceptive sites are used as values in the averaging while the zeros in the array of receptive sites are placeholders. The motivation for the model is that receptive sites are viewed as permanently storing any mass that arrives at that point. The mass in the unreceptive sites is free to move, and hence moves toward an average value. Lastly, the constant added to receptive sites corresponds to the idea that not only is "add a constant" an especially simple generalization to the model, but it very informally captures the idea that some water may be available from outside the plane of growth. The constant to be added to the receptive sites is one of the parameters that we vary. The second parameter that we vary is the background level. We will ordinarily begin with a single cell of value one (an ice seed) in a sea of a constant background. We will usually denote the added constant by γ and the background level by β.

108

material and crystallization

STEP1: Fill the hexagonal grid with a value. eg. 0.4. STEP2: Give one cell a value 1.0, which will be recognized as ice, and act as a seed point of the crystallization. STEP3: The seed cell and its neighbours is acknowledged a receptive group, and other cells as non-receptive group.

Step 1

STEP4: Two group is considered dividedly, fill the blank cell in the original group as 0.0. STEP5: Add a condtant to the receptive group, eg. 0.1, calculate the values in the grid with a set weight.

Step 2

STEP6: Add two group by its values, the cell that has the value greater than 1.0 will be recognized as ice.

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

crystal simulation

109

SINGLE SEEDING POINT γ: 0.0050

γ: 0.0035

γ: 0.001

γ: 0.0001

γ: 0.00

β: 0.10

β: 0.20

β: 0.30

β: 0.40

β: 0.50

β: 0.60

Figure here shows a diagram of the configurations resulting from several background levels 0≤β≤0.95 and addition constants 0≤γ≤1. We embedded a single isolated seed in an approximately 400 by 400 hexagonal arrangement of the background level. We allowed the configuration to evolve until ice approaches the (circular) boundary or until 10,000 iterations had occurred. Notice the appearance of dendrites, stellar forms, sectors, and plates. The darkest half of the gray values used in the image correspond to cell values below 1, with black corresponding to 0. The lightest half correspond to ice; however, we reverse the values in this case so that white corresponds to 1. Thus we get contrast at the boundary between ice and not.

β: 0.70

β: 0.80

β: 0.90

β: 0.95

110

material and crystallization

Back groung level - β: Water concentration in the 2D plane. Add constant - Ɣ: Amount of water absorb from the 3D environment.

MULTIPLE SEEDING POINTS

Seed point: 3 β: 0.4 Ɣ: 0.001 10000 steps

The simulation conducted for the multipul seed point is to understand how the crystals interact with each other when growing. We use hexagonal grid and square grid for simulate water crsytal and salt, sodium chloride, crystal. As shown in the diagrams, the snowflakes interacts with each other and slows down the groth. Which is because, if we consider this in our mathematical model, the non-receptive group between the arms of the crsytal don't have acess to the values in the grid, so it's hard for those cells to keep adding up, which leads to a slower growth. But in the case of the salt, square grid dose not have angle other then 90 degree, so the interaction won't affect the speed of the growth. The salt crytal will continue to grow with the same speed.

crystal simulation

111

Supersaturated Behavior _solution applications

A supersaturated solution is a solution that contains more than the maximum amount of solute that is capable of being dissolved at a given temperature. The recrystallization of the excess dissolved solute in a supersaturated solution can be initiated by the addition of a tiny crystal of solute, called a seed crystal. The seed crystal provides a nucleation site on which the excess dissolved crystals can begin to grow. Recrystallization from a supersaturated solution is typically very fast. The crystallization speed by using this supersaturated solution is 5mm/ s. Using the attribute of fast growth of the supersaturated soultion, we was able to control the radom growth of crystal. The solution flow drop by drop from the syringe, crystallization happens inside each drop and instantly solidify while merge itself with the crystal that already formed.

Concentration Temperature CONTROLLED GROWTH

112

material and crystallization

CONTROLLED CRYSTALLIZATION GROWTH BY SUPERSATURATED SOLUTION

supersaturated behavior

113

Energy Generation _magnetizing the spicule

Sodium acetate is mainly known for its use in heating pads, hand warmers, and hot ice. Sodium acetate trihydrate crystals melt at 58 °C. When they are heated beyond their melting point and subsequently allowed to cool, the aqueous solution becomes supersaturated. This solution is capable of cooling to room temperature without forming crystals. By agitating the solution it crystallizes back into solid sodium acetate trihydrate. The bond-forming process of crystallization is exothermic. The process can be repeated indefinitely. Based on previous physics researches, we can know that supersaturated solution is able to store energy, to be more specificly heat, and we can have acess to the that energy by initalizing the crystallization. The efficiency of this process is 54 percent, the total amount of lanten heat stored in a supersaturated solution is 254.6kj/kg, and the heat emmited from it is 137kj/kg. 100 90 80

TEMPERATURE

70 60 50 40 30 20 0

ITERATION OF HEAT EMMISION

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material and crystallization

After knowing heat can be created using supersaturated solution, we try to convert this energy into electricity by using another attribute of crystal-semi-conductor.A semiconductor material has an electrical conductivity value falling between that of a conductor, such as metallic copper, and an insulator, such as glass. Its resistivity falls as its temperature rises; metals behave in the opposite way. Its conducting properties may be altered in useful ways by introducing impurities ("doping") into the crystal structure. When two differently doped regions exist in the same crystal, a semiconductor junction is created. By using the attribute of free-moving electron in the crystal (usually silicon) reaction to heat and cold, a device can be made to generate electricity. We combine the heat emmitted from the supersaturated solution crystallization and the thermoelectric power generator to create current and observe it on the meter.

COLD SOURCE

HEAT SOURCE

COLD SOURCE

HEAT SOURCE CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF SILICONE

energy generation

DIAGRAM OF THE THEORY OF TPG

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CURRENT GENERATION

Heat source: hand_35℃ Thermoelectric generator Cold source: table_16℃ Current read: 0.42A

Heat source: crystallization_50℃ Thermoelectric generator Cold source: table_16℃ Current read: 0.44A

Heat source: crystallization_50℃ Thermoelectric generator Cold source: ice cube_1℃ Current read: 0.63A

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material and crystallization

Environmental Input _ion concentration

In order to harvest the salt in the water, the agent should be able to have access to the concentration of salt in the water. The Salt exit in the water as the form of ions, hence it can be detected by the conductivity level of the water(or tds-value). By using Ardunio, we managed to translate the ion concentration level to certain behavior of the machine. The code is flexible towards the interaction and behaviours of the machine.

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

TDS-value: 0-700

TDS-value: 700-750

TDS-value: 750-800

TDS-value: 800 and above

environmental input

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Concentration Control _strategy

Boids system as an simulation of agents’ movement. Detect the High Concentration Areato control the crystal growth.

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Agents Agents / Machine / Machine

Diffusion-Limited Diffusion-Limited Aggregation Aggregation

Reading ReadingEnvironment Environment

Generate Generaterandom random agent agent

Data Datatransfer transfer

Find FindClosest Closestseed seed

Collective Collectivemovement movement

Location Locationofof random randomagent agent

material and crystallization

Reading Environment data & Crystal growth Control

concentration control

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Ion Concentration _ 2D Map _energy strategy

For the computer to read, the concentration map should convert the information from the environment to a picture where each pixels have different values.

Rule of generation of concentration map

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Pattern 1

Ion concentration map 1

Pattern 2

Ion concentration map 2

Pattern 3

Ion concentration map 3

Pattern 4

Ion concentration map 4

material and crystallization

Ion Concentration _ 3D Map _energy

We also tested the algorithm in a 3D environment, instead of the pixels the voxels are able to detecte the local ion concentration and then translate it to a value demonstrated by gray shade.

3D Pattern 1

3D Ion concentration map 1

3D Pattern 2

3D Ion concentration map 2

ion concentration

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Simulation _ 2D _concentration control AGENT MOVEMENT

S_01 Agents Number: 1185 Attraction:4.1 Cohesion: 1.2 Seperation: 1.0

S_02 Agents Number: 1805 Attraction: 2.3 Cohesion: 1.2 Seperation: 0.8

S_03 Agents Number: 1580 Attraction: 7.8 Cohesion: 1.8 Seperation: 1.2

S_04 Agents Number: 1300 Attraction: 5.3 Cohesion: 1.2 Seperation: 1.0

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material and crystallization

CRYSTAL GROWTH

State_01 Agents count: 1185

State_02 Agents count: 1805

State_03 Agents count: 1580

State_04 Agents count: 1300

simulation 2D

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AGENT MOVEMENT

PATTERN_01 Time: 75 Complexity: 1 Crystal: 431

PATTERN_02 Time: 92 Complexity: 2 Crystal: 798

PATTERN_03 Time: 67 Complexity: 3 Crystal: 475

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material and crystallization

CRYSTAL GROWTH

PATTERN_04 Time: 108 Complexity: 4 Crystal: 899

PATTERN_05 Time: 103 Complexity: 3 Crystal: 948

PATTERN_06 Time: 132 Complexity: 5 Crystal: 1137

simulation 2D

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126

Scaffold Experiments i. Growth Patterns ii. Tubular Scaffold Models iii. Digital Tubular Scaffold iv. Wool Line Scaffold

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Crystal Growth _parameters

There are several parameters that would influence the growth of salt crystal. We can divide them into 2 main catergories, related to solutions and scaffolding. This chapter will focus on different test we did for know the salt better.

For the four parameters associated with the solution, they mainly determine the rate and specific location of crystallisation. For most salt crystals, the higher the temperature and concentration and the drier the environment, the faster the crystallisation rate will be. Whereas the surface and bottom of the solution are more susceptible to crystallisation.

The rate of crystallisation can vary slightly due to the different water absorption and thermal conductivity of the particular material, but the structural strength brought about by the different materials is a more obvious difference. Salt will crystallise wherever the conditions are right, and so the form of the scaffold is crucial, as this determines the shape of the final structure formed. In addition to this, time as an important parameter can also change the outcome to a large extent, with new crystallisation more likely to occur where the initial crystallisation takes place. 128

scaffold experiments

Material: Soluble Sand Time:3 Concentration:saturated Temperature: 15°C

Material: Soluble Sand Time:4 Concentration:satuated Temperature: 15°C

Material: Soluble Sand Time: 6 Concentration: satuated Temperature: 15°C

crystal growth

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Material Physical Tests _materials and solutions

Several materials for scaffolds were explored. The main reason was to understand onto which one salt grows better, and to comprehend how could it be controlled. Those materials are metal, PLA, acrylic and plywood. Onto these materials previously mentioned, 3 different saturated solutions were tested, to be able to see their diverse capabilities and crystallisation. Those solutions are made with Epsom salt, Sodium Chloride and Sodium Acetate. The same materials were soaked in the three saturated solutions for a week. The pictures below show the growth after that first week. These are the outcomes of pairing the different materials with the saturated solutions and it shows how the different porosity in materials helps the solution to grow onto the scaffold to optimise the self-binding properties of the crystallization with salt.

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scaffold experiments

material physical tests

131

Scaffold Pattern Insight _case studies

The glass sponge is a coral that has strong material qualities. These unique qualities have been studies as a scaffold for crystallization structural stabilization. At the micro there is a patterning that allows for a large surface area to act as a seed for crystal growth, attracting ionic concentrations within the fibers. In a study done with dish sponges and a sodium chloride solution, we crystallized 4 different samples to better explore the growth patterning that had emerged. The crystallization that occurred was greater along the face that was at the bottom of the tub.

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scaffold experiments

SPONGE _ 01 crystallization _ 15 density _ 30

SPONGE _ 02 crystallization _ 10 density _ 20

SPONGE _ 01 crystallization _ 7 density _ 18

SPONGE _ 01 crystallization _ 12 density _ 26

scaffold pattern insight

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Simulation 2D _patterns

S_01 Material Use: 1100 Crystal Growth: 324

S_02 Material Usea: 1100 Crystal Growth: 365

S_03 Material Use: 1020 Crystal Growth: 397

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scaffold experiments

H_01 Material Use: 1100 Crystal Growth: 378

H_02 Material Use: 1200 Crystal Growth: 467

H_03 Material Use: 1280 Crystal Growth: 479

simulation 2D

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C_01 Material Use: 1100 Crystal Growth: 426

C_02 Material Use: 1160 Crystal Growth:397

C_03 Material Use: 1120 Crystal Growth: 457

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scaffold experiments

Physical Tests 3D _patterns

H_1 Material Use: PLA/Sodium acetate Crystal Growth: 1 day No other methods applied

S_3 Material Use: PLA/Sodium acetate Crystal Growth: 1 day Using complex structure to capture air bubble to accelerate the process.

C_3 Material Use: PLA/Sodium acetate Crystal Growth: 1 day Using complex structure to capture air bubble to accelerate the process.

physical tests 3D

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Water Level Controlled Growth _patterns

We discovered that the crystallization happens faster in the solution near the water surface, because the surface is where the evaporation and tempreture drop happens.

So when using a 2D grid to harvest the salt, there are always much more crystal growing on the water surface and at the bottom area.

Therfore, by using a special water tank which is able change the water level at the certain speed, we will have the agency to controll the growing speed and posision of the salt.

PHYSICAL TESTS In order to test this methods we use three kinds of grids with different patterns and densities. They are all 3D printed by sand print.

Hexagonal Grid Grid size: 10 cm * 15 cm Cell diameter: 1.50cm Edge thickness: 1.2mm

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Square Grid Grid size: 10 cm * 15 cm Cell size: 2.2cm * 1.7cm Edge thickness: 1.2mm

scaffold experiments

Square Grid Grid size: 10 cm * 15 cm Cell size: 0.7cm * 0.7cm Edge thickness: 1.2mm

SOAK THE PATTERNS IN THE SOLUTION FOR 8 HOURS

INITALIZE THE WATER-LEVEL DROPAT THE SPEED OF 0.1MM/MIN

OUTCOME AFTER 24 HOURS

pattern experiments 2D

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Pattern Experiments 2D _patterns

Expanding on various patterns in the physical realm, we used particle printed patterns to text scaffold densities and their affect on crystal growth. The denser the pattern, the greater surface area the crystal has to grow on to. Utilizing the absorbent qualities of the particle print, the crystal seeds grew and strengthened the structure of the patterns. front face up density: high

back face dipped density: high

bottom dipped density: low

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scaffold experiments

pattern experiments 2D

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CRYSTALLIZED MODEL SET 01

In the physical experiments, we created scaffolding that explored weaving density techniques to catalyse varied crystallization outputs. As a basis, the string was a porous enough material that the sodium chloride solution was able to penetrate deeply and grow their seeds out from it.

weaving density_ 1/3

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weaving density_ 2/3

scaffold experiments

weaving density_1

The density of the weaving itself was part of the main exploration variable that was experimented with. While a lower density weave allows for more openings, however its structural integrity when crystallized is still weak. A higher density absolves the openings, however its structural capacity is larger. The in between state, where the weave is not too dense that there is a lack of openings, but dense enough to maintain its structural integrity.

tubular scaffold models

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CRYSTALLIZED MODEL SET 02

Crystallizing footings, which supported the arched structure of the fiber optic cable, was central to this physical experiment. While the ring density variable changes, it doesn’t affect its crystallized output. The output depends upon the 4 rings that compose the two foundational footings of each experiment. This exploration was a teaching point in solution tank variables. For this case, we used metal containers (as opposed to the typical plastic container) for each footing, which resulted in a highly variable temperature from night to day. The consequence was that the crystal formation was not able to sustain itself and failed to crystallize properly.

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scaffold experiments

ring density_4

ring density_5

ring density_6

tubular scaffold models

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CRYSTALLIZED MODEL SET 03

For this crystallization set, we submerged the models completely in the solution to explore the resulting form. While the pre-crystal models were bendable and transformable, the post-crystal models were fixed in their form. The result was a highly crystallized tubular state, in which each model was bend based on their ring density and bending ability. Since the lower ring density model emerged as a more flexible and ductile generation, its crystal form presented as a bent archway. Meanwhile, the denser ring formation presented itself as a straight tubular habit.

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scaffold experiments

ring density_7

ring density_9

ring density_5

tubular scaffold models

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scaffold experiments

tubular scaffold models

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Tubular Scaffold _approach and strategy

The tubular scaffold is based on half divisive segments, connected through circular surface paths.The circles follow square divisions and is scaled and translated to be uphold an ability of customizable, tubular geometries. Combining the divisions from the x and y axis, the 3D materialization varies based on each circular placement. In post-analysis, these rule sets emerge formal generations that reconstruct the advantageous characteristics of the glass sponge. 3D arrangements combinations of circle rules

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scaffold experiments

H_1 grid: hexagonal density: 15

H_2 grid: hexagonal density: 30

H_3 grid: hexagonal density: 45

T_1 grid: triangular density: 20

T_2 grid: triangular density: 30

T_3 grid: triangular density: 40

C_1 grid: combined density: 35

C_2 grid: combined density: 60

C_3 grid: combined density: 85

digital tubular scaffold

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Tubular Simulation Concept _scaffold aggregate

Cellular Automata As the scaffold of Crystal growth. Which would generate a structure with certain porosity to grow the crystal.

Cellular Automata

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Tiling

Neighbor rule

Get data from CA /Set up rules

Data transform

Tiling

Certain state with higher survive possibility

Self-Assembly

scaffold experiments

Agents self-assembly to create a porosity structure

tubular simulation concept

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Simulating Crystallized Tubular Scaffolds _scaffold with certain porosities

V_01 Material Use: 982 Max Neighbor: 3

V_02 Material Use: 1680 Max Neighbor: 5

C_03 Material Use: 2014 Max Neighbor: 8

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scaffold experiments

WFC_ SELF-ORGANIZE AND ASSEMBLY

Choosing one of the high-performance model generated by the Cellular Automata, we used the Wave-FuncionCollapse algorithm to get the tubular scaffold model.

After the selfassembly process, we tried to simulate the crystalization process of this scaffold.

tubular scaffold simulations

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Wool Line Scaffold _frei otto wool experiments

The analogue model finds the minimal path system, that is, the system connects a distributed set of given points, thus the overall length of the path system is minimised. Each point is reached but there is a considerable imposition of detours between some pairs of points.

The material interactions frequently result in a geometry that is based on complex material behaviour of elasticity and variability. the wool-thread machines. This last tech-nique was used to calculate the shape of two-dimensional city patterns, but also of three-dimensional cancellous bone structure or branching column systems. They are all similar vectorized systems that economize on the number of paths, meaning they share a geometry of merging and bifurcating.

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scaffold experiments

The salt crystallization requires seed points to start the proscess. In water, the wool will expand and small branches of wool reaches out and tangle with others, which create weds and pull wools toward each other, these webs provide ideal positions for seeding and crystallization. The system is a tree (branching system) without any redundant connections.

Physical experiment of wool react with water

Digital simulation of the process

The final shape of the wools is highly related to the inital pattern, by create digital model and simulations, we explored this connection, and select criterion. To parameterize the inital patterns, we used " Sample number", "Offset Value", "Sin offset value", "Sin phase number" as paraeters to make up the patterns and research the wool experiment.

S=60_0=36_P=0_SIN=0

wool line scaffold

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2D SIMULATIONS

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S=60_0=20

S=60_ 0=20

S=60_0=20_P=1_SIN=20

S=60_0=20_P=1_SIN=68

S=60_0=20_P=4_SIN=9

2D_S=60_0=20_P=4_SIN=9

S=60_0=20_P=6_SIN=100

S=60_0=20_P=4_SIN=9

scaffold experiments

SQUARE _ 2 Seed: 15 Section: 4 Threshold: 0.15

HEXAGON_ 2 Seed: 2 Section: 6 Threshold: 0.04

HEXAGON _ 2 Seed: 9 Section: 6 Threshold: 0.23

wool line scaffold

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Wool Line Crystallized Scaffold _timeline and strength

DAY 03 _ temperature_ 15 degrees

DAY 01 _ tied knots and anchored to side points

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DAY 06 _ temperature_ 8 degrees

DAY 06 _ cooled the temperature down with ice

scaffold experiments

DAY 08 _ temperature_ 5 degrees

DAY 09 _ dried it when temperature increased

FINAL WOOL MODEL

crystallized spicule wool that is sustained after removed from panelling

wool line scaffold

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Spicule Scaffold i. Spicule Cataloguing ii. Structural Analysis iii. Physical Tests

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Spicules _classification

Spicules are an structural element found in most sponges. The meshing of many spicules serves as a sponge skeleton, thus it provides support. They can have a collective behavior and the shape itself generates porosity when aggregated. Possible mutations and classifications were studied, for then differentiate them by number of axes and different end mutations. SPICULES IN NATURE

ENDS MUTATIONS

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spicule scaffold

Type A

Type B

Type C

THE STELLATED

PLYWOOD TEST 1

PLYWOOD TEST 2

spicules

PLYWOOD TEST 3

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DEEPER CATALOGUING

Branch Type _ T-End

The scaffold of spicules provides an opportunity in which its loose nature can solidify during a crystallization process. Our attempt is to exploy the porosity of the spicules to provide a seeding point. When multiplying its number within an aggregation, there is an increase in opportunity for a stronger crystallized structure. While applying the spicule formation to a scaffold that optimizes the strength of the crystal, our team began to iterate variations on geometry, branching numbers, and end mutations. After testing the spicules physically we discovered that the optimal spicule shapes have arc-like end mutations, which allow for an interlocking nature and a stronger scaffold.

Branch Type _ Arc-End Branch Type _ Fork-End

END MUTATION

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3D ITERATIONS

spicule scaffold

2D ITERATIONS

ACRYLIC ITERATIONS

PLA ITERATIONS

density _ 8

density _ 10

density _ 16

12 branches

8 branches

6 branches

5 branches

3D ITERATIONS

spicules

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INITIAL DIGITAL AGGREGATION _ the pile

composite _ 01 branches _ 5 density _ 20

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Ultimately, our goal is to configure the spicule iterations into a 3-dimensional shape that can aggregate. Initially, our aggregations took us to a place where the spicules would form a non-descript pile, reducing any opportunity to extract spatial structures. The expression of spicules can begin to articulate itself by structuring its formation based on the typological topologies that form spatial boundaries. By understanding the organization that may be achieved, we began to test digitally an array of formations, to explore if we can get a loose aggregate.

composite _ 02 branches _ 4 density _ 30

composite _ 03 branches _ 6 density _ 40

composite _ 04 branches _ 5 density _ 45

composite _ 05 branches _ 8 density _ 50

spicule scaffold

ATTEMPTING AN ORGANIZATION

atrium item amount _ 650 strength _ 200

bridge item amount _ 500 strength _ 90

column item amount _ 300 strength _ 150

cross item amount _ 1400 strength _ 150

windows item amount _ 700 strength _ 100

wall item amount _ 700 strength _ 115

spicules

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Spicule Structure _structural test STRUCTURAL TESTS

After designed the catalog of spicule types, it is necessary to have the selection criteria. Firstly, to create a structure that perform spatially, structural ability is an important parameter. We ran tests on the outcomes of the simulation on spicule arrangement before and after crystallization, to choose the types to continue the research.

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Bridge shape arrangement

After crystallization

Danger point

Danger point after crystallization

Total Displacement

Total Displacement After crystallization

spicule scaffold

In this comparison we tested the structural ability of two types of spicule which generated from the same geometry: square. One has open arms and the other one has some of the branches closed. Tests shows with the branches closed, the structural performance also gets better.

Bridge shape arrangement

After crystallization

Danger point

Danger point after crystallization

Total Displacement

Total Displacement After crystallization

spicule structure

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Crystallized Spicule Tests _the spicule as scaffold

In order to confirm the self-binding of salt, in combination witht the interlocking of the spicule, we tested small scale PLA prints, which depending on the amount of branching, would bind at a varied strength. The more branches, the greater the binding. After noticing that spicules would solidify, concurrently with the salt crystals effectively pausing time, a proof of concept emerged, expanding upon the true nature of salt, to self-bind.

RANDOMIZED

BRANCHES: 4 BINDING: 30

BRANCHES: 12 BINDING: 75

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spicule scaffold

CONTROLLED

BRANCHES: 5 BINDING: 20

BRANCHES: 4 BINDING: 10

BRANCHES: 6 BINDING: 25

BRANCHES: 6 BINDING: 35

crystallized spicule tests

173

MATERIALS AND SOLUTIONS

ACRYLIC + SODIUM CHLORIDE

PLYWOOD + SODIUM CHLORIDE

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spicule scaffold

ACRYLIC + EPSOM SALT

PLA + EPSOM SALT

crystallized spicule tests

175

Small Tank Experiments _testing crystallizing spicule scaffolds

After understanding the low populations, we moved onto typologies that can be produced. The wall was created by building up layers of spicules, and submerging it in the salt bed. Another formation we explored was the bridge. The crystallization solidified the spicules, making it extremely strong as all became one system. Our last of the small tank crystallizations was the dome, or cave. We scaled down the spicules as to understand populations needed to produce a output. Each of these models are sectional and suggest the ability to continuously aggregate, which will be displayed later.

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spicule scaffold

THE WALL

crystallized spicule wall that is sustained under water

small tank experiments

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THE BRIDGE

crystallized spicule bridge that can bear weight and withstand water impact

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spicule scaffold

THE CAVE

crystallized spicule cave that sustains a cavernous roof structure

small tank experiments

179

Large Tank Scaffold _acrylic spicule scaffold

180

spicule scaffold

Acrylic spicule scaffold

large tank experiments

181

Large Tank Growth _process of large scale crystallizations

The process of the large tank formations provided us with insight on what on-site crystallization needs. Salt creep is the phenomena of crystallization growing on surfaces which has not been submerged in solutions. It forms in a dendritic growth. The salt creep further engages us with timeline of evaporation: the thinner it is the faster crystallization occurred and vise versa. In this model, we needed to implement a heat source to replace the hot conditions in which the salt naturally crystallizes so we applied two heat lamps, which encouraged a great amount of crystallization. The branches occurring at the surface of the water are produced by slow evaporation mixed with surface tension. Over time, table salt specifically becomes blurred in its formation, as individual crystals become integrated with their neighbors. This is a timeline of crystallization.

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spicule scaffold

Day 06

Crystal seeding has just begun, starting with the ridges on the spicules.

large tank growth

183

Day 06

184

spicule scaffold

Day 10

large tank growth

185

Major Changes in Crystallizations

186

Day 06

Day

Day 06

Day

spicule scaffold

y 10

Day 13

y 10

Day 13

large tank growth

187

Notable Features in our Crystallizations

The cubic-pyramidal shape of the table salt, NaCl, is very apparant throughout the crystallizations.

Water surface crystal seeding occurs as the solution meets the air.

188

spicule scaffold

Salt creep on the tank walls thickens overtime as crystallization continues and water naturally evaporates.

Crystal seeding increases in ridges on spicules. Crystals do better with a greater surface area and course surface texture

large tank growth

189

Large Tank _larger scale study of salt crystallization

The large scale model explores the ability to make certain forms and maintain its original state through crystallization. We wanted to understand how a large scale formation crystallizes in outdoor conditions and how the salt crystals themselves transform. Over time the spicule formations settled into natural arches, but external movement of the tank for display purposes caused uncrystallized spicules to far and lose their original shape.

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spicule scaffold

large tank

191

120 cm

192

spicule scaffold

large tank

193

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spicule scaffold

large tank

195

196

spicule scaffold

large tank

197

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spicule scaffold

large tank

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200

spicule scaffold

large tank

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Crystallization Afterward _Day ~90

After around 90 days of crystallization, we ensured that we would collect and analyze the process of each of the tanks. Each crystallization period was able to give us more information as to what the process growing and harvesting salt entailed. As it seems, there was a clear difference between the durability of epsom salt (artifically created salts) and the durability of sodium chloride (naturally formed salts). While epsom salt yielded a formation of crystals that was aestecially fascinating as well as a faster crystallization growth time, the stability over time failed. After our 90 day check-in with the experiments, the epsom salt began to turn into a powdery substance, similar to snow or sand. This meant that the artificial salt that we were experimenting could not withstand long durations as well as environmental factors. Sodium chloride, the naturally occuring salt that we had used in our experiement, yielded a strong and durable result. It retained it crystal structure over time and even strengthened the structure as it dried. This meant that it became a more condusive salt to attain our structural needs and hopeful outcomes.

202

spicule scaffold

Day ~90

The wall structure after complete evaporation of the saline solution. crystallization afterward

203

small tank crystallizations

While the the socium chloride (natural salt) has proven to retain its molecular structure, the epsom salt has disintegrated over time into snow like particles.

The epsom salt bridge structure has retained its strength over time due to its crystallization process. After creating the solution it was shocked by a cold temperature which retained a strong molecular structure.

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spicule scaffold

The sodium chloride wall has crystallized and almost entirely evaporated, creating an extremely strong wall. The salt continues to grow through continuous creep.

This epsom salt cave structure has begun to turn to dust due to its insufficient molecular structure when initial crystallization occured. Although the structure remains intact due to its spicule, the salt disintegrates to the touch

crystallization afterward

205

small tank crystallizations

206

spicule scaffold

crystallization afterward

207

large tank crystallizations

After around 90 days the crystallization that occured abover the water line has continued to grow more and more.

While the crystallization above the waterline has succeeded in growth, the humidity of the london has caused an ineffective ratio for crystallization to continue below the water.

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spicule scaffold

The seeding points within the water that existed on the scaffold have disintegrated due to the humidity within line, While crystallization occurs naturally in its natural habitat, London has not proven to be a sufficient site for crystallization.

Through salt creep, we are able to note that crystallization continues to grow above the water line.

crystallization afterward

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Proposing Agency i. Organizational Methods ii. Magnetized Spicules iii. Mother Agent iv. Cellular Automatas

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211

Assembly _Spicule projectile system PROJECTILE SYSTEM

Our precedent study of Remote Material Deposition Installation, Sitterwerk, St. Gallen, gave us the idea of useing a projectile system of distribution and assembly. Featuring an industrial robot that aggregates material over distance and therefore exceeds its predefined workspace, this installation brings not only forward a novel scale of digital fabrication in architecture – it also takes a first step in characterizing a novel approach in digital fabrication, taking architecture beyond the creation of static forms to the design of dynamic material aggregation processes. Unlike the clay in the precedent case, the spicule can't precisely attach to one another. But the spicule, which naturally has the ablity of interlocking, with the quality of redundancy, which provides the space for mistakes. We imagine the approch would be able to assemble a structure with throwing spicules. We created digital models with changable parameters for simulations to test our thoughts. In the right is some of the first tests. Through these simulation we learned the main factors of the projectile system, such as spawner angle, spawner position,inital rotation, magnetic force of the spicules, etc.

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proposing agency

Projectile height = 30; Spawner rotation = random; Magnetic force of spicules = 0; Magnetic force of attractor = 0;

Projectile without magnetic spicule

Frame 0

Frame 15

Frame 100

Frame 200

Projectile height = 30; Spawner rotation = random; Magnetic force of spicules = 14; Magnetic force of attractor = 255;

Projectile with magnetic spicule

Frame 0

Frame 15

Frame 100

Frame 200

assembly

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COMPARISONS The increase of the manetic force can cause a thicker, stronger strcture. But at the same time, because of the force increasing, the spicules will have a higher possiblity to catapult because of the same pole forced to each other, therfore it requires more spicule to reach the limit.

Magnetic force of spicules = 14; Magnet force of attractor = 500; Length (ratio) = 15;

Frame 0

Frame 15

Frame 100

Frame 200

AGENT CAPABILITY Moving on spicules; Throw spicule to certain directions; Collect spicules; Sensing the environment ( terrain, salinity, other agents, structure……)

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Projectile height =25; Spawner rotation = random; Magnetic force of spicules = 14; Magnet force of attractor =255;

Frame 0

Frame 15

Frame 100

Frame 200

proposing agency

SIMULATION TESTS This test compares the difference between projecting angle, spawner position and the magnetic force of the spicules. Screen shot of the same frame in each simulation can show the differennt results caused by the parameter changes.

Magnetic force of spicules = 14; Magnet force of attractor = 500; Length (ratio) = 15;

Frame 0

Frame 15

Frame 100

Frame 200

COMPARISONS Tests showed that different spawner position can cause a change on the "growing" direction, the change in the scaffold system will cause the variaty in the space that the crystallization creat.

Magnetic force of spicules = 14; Magnet force of attractor = 500; Length (ratio) = 20;

Frame 0

Frame 15

Frame 100

Frame 200

assembly

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Scaffold Structural Limits _spicule placement studies

A significant part of crystallization is allowing time for it to happen, and thus maintaining stillness for the crystal seeds to take place and grow. The scaffold should then reciprocate that, almost being paused in time from crystallization. Because spicules are a fluid, nonstatic structure so its important to know the limits of its structural capabilities. At what point of adding spicules does the wall fall down? How can we create an arch from the spicules simply falling into place? What limit allows for maintaining an identifiable formation? Simulations studying placing spicules are meant to highlight the necessary moment of crystallization, otherwise the spicule structure would collapse. The spawner in these instances are meant to represent any future automation and/or human.

216

proposing agency

in-progress spicule placement

moment of structural limit

crystallized at structural limit

initial collapse of structure

fully collapsed structure

in-progress spicule placement

moment of structural limit

crystallized at structural limit

initial collapse of structure

fully collapsed structure

scaffold structural limits

217

Magnetic Field as Organization _intelligence & self-organize

Magnetic fields, as a physical phenomenon generated by moving electrical charges, can be found everywhere in our lives. It is expressed by ferrous materials and organises the position and orientation of these elements. Through the use of magnetism, we try to add a certain intelligence to the spicules and allow them to selforganise in order to produce a certain order in the configuration of the spicules. By adding magnet with different poles, we can set up attractor and repeller to influence the collective behavior. The position of the magnets is also an important parameter. The difference in distance from the centre of the spicules to the end of the arms will result in a huge difference in the magnetic force, which will also completely change the forming process.

218

proposing agency

Attractor & Reppeller

Swarm Behavior

spicule branches _ 6

steel ball size _ 3mm ball count _ 83

steel ball size _ 2mm ball count _ 79

steel ball size _ 1mm ball count _ 75

GRADIENT

STEEL BALLS PLA PRINT

steel ball size _ 1,2,3mm ball count _ 81

integration of magnet within the spicule body and arms

magnet as intelligence

steel ball size _ 1,2,3mm ball count _ 81

219

Magnetic Spicules _low population studies

In an attempt to derive a self-organizing formation, we turned to a magnetic approach. In this case, it was important to recognize all the factors by isolating north and south poles, magnet location, configurations of these, and interruption of the non-magnetic spicule. The locations of the magnets include centrallized or peripheral (on the end of the spicule arms). The low population simulations of magnetism and configurations have provided us with insight on how each variable will shape the outcome. The spicule alone is meant for self-attachment, so it was important to include magnetism without making the use of the spicule obsolete. However, these simulations revealed that the magnets merely inform attraction but allow for the inherent nature of spicules to remain in play.

220

proposing agency

INITIAL STATE

FINAL STATE

Magnets_center: 6 Magnets_branch: 12 Spicule_N: 2 Spicule_S: 2

Magnetic_spicule: 4 Non-magnetic_spicule: 1

Magnets_center: 6 Magnets_branch: 12 Spicule_N: 2 Spicule_S: 2

Magnetic_spicule: 4 Non-magnetic_spicule: 0

Magnets_center: 6 Magnets_branch: 12 Spicule_N: 2 Spicule_S: 2

Magnetic_spicule: 4 Non-magnetic_spicule: 1

Magnets_center: 6 Magnets_branch: 12 Spicule_N: 2 Spicule_S: 2

Magnetic_spicule: 4 Non-magnetic_spicule: 0

magnetic spicules

221

INITIAL STATE

FINAL STATE